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Ron Desantis: The Florida Governor Who May Steal The Republican Nomination From Under His Mentor Donald Trump's Nose
Is Ron DeSantis the heir apparent to Donald Trump? It sure looked like it on Tuesday. In a US midterm election that saw his Republican party , DeSantis was the spectacular outlier, turning in a in Florida's governor race that turned heads among friends and foes alike.
Most remarkable about DeSantis's win wasn't just his total margin of victory – a whopping in a supposed“swing state”. Instead, it was how he did it: in the Latino community, flipping previous Democratic strongholds and the share of the vote achieved by the Republicans in 2020 – by double digits in some districts.
Trump's grip on the Republican base is , and he remains the favourite to earn his party's nomination. But if DeSantis throws his hat in the ring for president in 2024, Republicans could soon be bracing for civil war. This would pit ultra-Trump loyalists against“establishment” conservatives who think it's time for a fresh leader.
Rise to stardomDeSantis was , after serving six years in the US House of Representatives. A graduate of Yale and Harvard Law School, as well as a commissioned officer in the US Navy, DeSantis combines a reputation for wonkish intellectualism with a hard-charging penchant for pressing a hardline conservative agenda.
As a“rising star” within conservative circles, DeSantis cemented his reputation and during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. While many states shuttered businesses and closed schools, DeSantis bucked the trend – to great consternation and fanfare – by and being .
'Culture warrior'More than anything, DeSantis has become a household name by . He has framed himself as the ultimate bulwark against far-left“identity politics” that he alleges elevates race, gender, and sexual orientation over national unity.“Florida is where woke goes to die,” he .
Ron DeSantis: 'Florida is where woke goes to die'.
In March of this year, DeSantis made headlines for signing the act, disparaged by critics as the bill. The law, which inspired in more than a dozen states, placed restrictions on lessons related to LGBTQ+ issues for students in kindergarten through to the third grade (typically, ages 5-9 years old).
DeSantis followed up this victory in April by . The fight saw him eliminate Disney's“special tax district” after the state's biggest employer took a number of public stances – including against his Parental Rights in Education Act – that DeSantis claimed were overtly partisan.
Also in April, DeSantis signed an anti-Critical Race Theory law. Dubbed the“”, the reform made it illegal for primary and secondary school instructors to teach about racial diversity and racism in a way that DeSantis described as“”.
Traditional conservativeOutside the cultural battlefield, DeSantis has governed largely as a“traditional” conservative. On the economy, he has advocated low taxes, restrained spending and corporate deregulation. Elsewhere, he has an A+ rating from the National Rife Association, supported Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, and moderately pro-life positions on abortion.
As governor of a southern state heavily affected by the migrant crisis, DeSantis has taken particularly tough stances against undocumented immigration – including“”, which generally neglect to enforce immigration laws. In September of this year, he became a flashpoint for controversy when, unannounced, he flying 50 migrants to Martha's Vineyard, a wealthy Massachusetts island, in a stunt designed to highlight the hypocrisy of liberal politicians.
Challenger to Trump?Trump DeSantis for governor in 2018 – but the pair's relationship has grown icy of late. Trump, whose Mar-a-Lago residence is in Florida, said he in Tuesday's midterms. Yet he has also sent toward his would-be opponent and, just days go, poked fun of“” at a rally in Pennsylvania.
Even if DeSantis runs for president in 2024 – and there's no guarantee he will – it's still hard to bet against Trump. As celebrity conservative anchor Megyn Kelly :“Trump sucks up all the energy in every room.” Many conservatives still fervently that Trump had the 2020 election stolen from him and that he's owed another run at the White House.
To other Republicans, however, DeSantis is precisely what the party needs to make a and to widen its electoral appeal. DeSantis has plenty of“Trumpian” qualities, such as his refusal to apologise and a knack for“tough talk”, especially on contentious issues such as . Yet he's seen as more palatable for voters who have qualms about Trump's character and aren't onboard with election denialism.
DeSantis may or may not make a bid for the White House in 2024 – it's reported that he already has a“war chest” of about if he does. Regardless, he's a force to be reckoned with inside the Republican party. The immediate risk for DeSantis: if he takes a headshot at Trump, he'd better win. In the no-holds-barred game of Trump v the World, Trump takes no prisoners.
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